The diary of an African Woman by Delight Mukozho (most read book in the world TXT) 📕

father. As she entered her parents’ bedroom, she was shocked by what she saw. Her father had been sick for a while now but as she neared the bed she was pained to see him. He had lost so much weight and his hands hang limp at his sides and his face was ashen. Her heart went out to him as she stood close to the bed and tears streamed down her beautifully made up face. She had to be strong, she knew that, but as she saw him lying there so helpless she fell apart. This was the man she loved dearly and she could not bear to see him like that.

 

He had always been there for her. He was her anchor, friend and mentor. They shared a bond far beyond what she shared with her mother. She couldn’t stay there another moment longer. Not wanting to disturb his sleep, she kissed him lightly on the forehead and said a silent prayer for him to recover and to be still alive when she got back from school. Hurriedly she left the room. How badly she wanted him to be still alive when she got back from school and share her day’s experiences with him. He always laughed with her and always made her feel at ease and on top of the world. What would she ever do without him? So much for that, she had to focus and have a clear head if ever she wanted to grasp whatever the teachers where going to say.

 

The day was a bore and time passed slowly. She could not wait to get home and see her father. Thoughts of her father filled her mind throughout the whole day and everything passed in a haze. She was barely concentrating and she only heard half of what the teachers were saying. She was in a world of her own. Deep down she knew that if she kept this up, with exams around the corner, she was going to fail. Yet she could not help it. It was her father whom she had left lying lifeless. It was as if he had lost all will to live and had already given up the fight. “Oh, Lord please don’t let him die,’ she moaned.

 

At last it was time to go home. Quickly, she collected her books and she ran like a madman homeward bound. The only problem was that she was not going as fast as she wanted. Finally, her house was in sight. She ran up the stairs and took them two at a time. When she reached the door she was breathless. She was met by her mother who was not at all amused. Her mother had lost weight during the course of her father’s illness. There were dark circles at her eyes due to lack of sleep. She could see that she was tired and was in great need of rest but she did not say anything. The two women exchanged a knowing smile and hugged each other. No words were shared but that gesture alone conveyed a lot and was enough for the two of them. Slowly they parted and she squeezed he mothers hand and she rushed for her parents’ bedroom. Slowly, she opened the door and went inside. At least this time her father was awake. When he saw her, his eyes lit up with his welcoming smile. He beckoned her to come closer. When she was close enough he just stared at her for a while. After some time he made an effort to speak but words failed to come out. She just stood there with tears in her eyes wishing him to speak but still no words came out of his mouth no matter how hard he tried. She was startled by her mother as she entered and asked her to leave but she could not move. She did not want to leave but she knew that she had to obey her mother. At last she forced herself to turn away from her beloved father and walk out of the room.

 

She made her way to her room and once inside she locked the door and cried herself to sleep. Sometime later a knock on her door woke her up. It was her mother asking her to come to come for supper. Slowly, she followed her mother to the dining room. She was surprised to see almost all their relatives there. They exchanged greetings but the mood in the room was not at all festive. It was as if everyone was waiting for the inevitable to happen. She wanted to bolt out of the room and go see her father but her mother gave her a knowing look and she forced herself to sit at the table but she had no appetite. Her mother took a tray of food to her father. When she returned she was still picking at her food. At least her mother was smiling and the plates on the tray were empty. That was a good sign, so her mother had said. She tried to force herself to eat but she could not bring herself to. After some time they cleared the table.

 

As she was doing the dishes she heard her mother scream and instantly everyone knew what that meant. Slowly, tears trickled down the girl’s face and she sat in a corner and began sobbing. How could this be? If only he had said something to her when she last saw him. She cried so hard that her head was aching. She did not even know what was happening around her. She just sat there looking into space. Her world was shattered. ‘Oh, God why did this have to be?’ she cried. When the ambulance came and the paramedics were removing her father’s body she nearly fainted when she saw them carrying her father’s body to the ambulance. When she saw that her mother had collapsed she knew that she had to be strong for both their sakes. She went to her and the two women embraced and cried in each other’s arms.  

 

On the day of the funeral, the weather was just bad as if to compliment the mood of the mourners. It was cloudy and misty and the birds of the air were silent as if they too were in mourning. The body was carried to the chapel. When she arrived at the chapel she was surprised to see a lot of people there. It was to be expected because her father had been loved by all, but still she had not expected to see the whole community there. The service was conducted amidst a series of sobbing and heart-rending sounds. Her mother sat by her side crying silently, her heart went out to her mother and she hugged her closely. She was forcing herself to be strong but she felt as if she could crumble any minute but she knew that she had to be strong for both of them. The service ended and it was time to say goodbye to her father for the last time. She did not want to see him but she had to say goodbye. She and her mother were the first in line. Slowly, they approached the coffin. Tears streamed down her face when she saw her father’s face. He was so peaceful and seemed so much at ease. “Goodbye daddy,” she said quietly and kissed him lightly on the forehead. She could not take it any more and she rushed outside. With a tear-stained ace she looked up to heaven and whispered, “Please Lord, take good care of my father.”

 

Once at the cemetery, her mother wailed and collapsed as they lowered her father’s coffin into the grave. People had to hold her to stop her from falling into the grave. The girl fell to her knees and started sobbing. This was it. This was the end of a very important chapter in her life. Try as she might, life was never going to be the same ever again. She thought how bleak like was going to be as she watched the men pour earth on the coffin. This was an end and also a beginning for her. “You have always been a special part of my life. I will cherish every moment we shared. I am going to miss you dearly. Goodbye daddy, till we meet again.” With those words she rose to her feet, placed a bouquet of roses on the grave and walked way.

 

Goodbye Daddy

The shy was majestically blue and the birds of the air were chirping away beautiful songs in the early hours of the morning. This was going to be a very beautiful day, the girl thought as she jumped out of bed and started preparing to go to school. When she was ready she went to say goodbye to her father. As she entered her parents’ bedroom, she was shocked by what she saw. Her father had been sick for a while now but as she neared the bed she was pained to see him. He had lost so much weight and his hands hang limp at his sides and his face was ashen. Her heart went out to him as she stood close to the bed and tears streamed down her beautifully made up face. She had to be strong, she knew that, but as she saw him lying there so helpless she fell apart. This was the man she loved dearly and she could not bear to see him like that.

 

He had always been there for her. He was her anchor, friend and mentor. They shared a bond far beyond what she shared with her mother. She couldn’t stay there another moment longer. Not wanting to disturb his sleep, she kissed him lightly on the forehead and said a silent prayer for him to recover and to be still alive when she got back from school. Hurriedly she left the room. How badly she wanted him to be still alive when she got back from school and share her day’s experiences with him. He always laughed with her and always made her feel at ease and on top of the world. What would she ever do without him? So much for that, she had to focus and have a clear head if ever she wanted to grasp whatever the teachers where going to say.

 

The day was a bore and time passed slowly. She could not wait to get home and see her father. Thoughts of her father filled her mind throughout the whole day and everything passed in a haze. She was barely concentrating and she only heard half of what the teachers were saying. She was in a world of her own. Deep down she knew that if she kept this up, with exams around the corner, she was going to fail. Yet she could not help it. It was her father whom she had left lying lifeless. It was as if he had lost all will to live and had already given up the fight. “Oh, Lord please don’t let him die,’ she moaned.

 

At last it was time to go home. Quickly, she collected her books and she ran like a